Distributor



F. NELSON DISTRIBUTOR Feb. 5, 1952 Filed Dec. 16, 1950 WQ w- F. NELSONDISTRIBUTOR Feb. 5, 1952 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 Filed Dec. 16, 1950 WIN "wifiINVENTOR. FEEDER/DK NELSN Patented Feb. 5, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENToFFIcE ,c DISTRIBUTOR Frederick Nelson, Lakewood, Ohio ApplicationDecember 16, 1950, Serial No. 201,180

7 Claims.

, This invention relates to magnetic, circuitcontrolling mechanism ofthe type used to control the circuits of ignition distributing systemsfor internal combustion engines and various other forms of electricalapparatus.

The primary object ofthe invention is ythe provision of a magneticcircuit-controlling mechanism constructed to includemagnetically-operable switch means arranged in a fluid-tightly sealedchamber, and shiftable, magnetic operating means for said switch meansarranged outside of said chamber in proximity thereof to eiect actuationof the switch means by the magnetic flux of the magnetic operating meanswhen same are shifted to predetermined positions with respect to saidswitch means.

Another object of the invention is the provision oi a magneticcircuit-controlling mechanism constructed to include magneticallyoperable switch means for controlling a plurality of cirf cuits andarranged in a fluid-tightly sealed chamber, and shiftable, magneticmeans for said switch means arranged outside of said chamber and mountedto be shifted with yrespect thereto in proximity thereof to effectactuation of the f Yswitch means through the wall of said chamber 'bythe magnetic'v iiux of the magnetic operating means when same 'areshifted to predetermined positions with respect to said switch means.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a magnetic,circuit-operating mechanismof the type referred to above in which thewall of the fluid-tightly sealed chamber mounting the switching meanshas low speciiic conductivity for magnetic flux but includes inproximity to said switchingv means a'localized area of sufficientspecific conductivity for magnetic flux to effectv actuation of theswitching means when the magnetic operating means' are shifted topredetermined positions.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a magneticcircuit-operating mechanism of the type refered to above in which thereis provided below the fluid-tightly sealed chamber opposite and inproximity to lthe outer face ofthe switching means mounting Wall thereofa rotatably mounted disk made of material 'having low specicconductivity for magnetic construction, combination and relation ofparts by which the objects in view have been attained will appear andare set forth in detail in the course of the following specification.The drawings accompanying and forming part of the specificationillustrate a certain practical embodiment of the invention, but it willbe apparent as the specification proceeds that the structure may bemodified and changed in various ways without departure from` the truespirit and broad scope of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through an ignition distributor fora four-cylinder internal combustion engine, which distributor embodies amagnetic circuit-controlling mechanisml constructed in accordance withthe invention, the section being taken on line I I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the distributor shown inFig. 1, the section being taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. l.

`Referring now more particularly to the exemplified form of theinvention shown in the drawings, reference numeral 2 denotes adistributor for a four-cylinder internalvcombustion engine. Thisdistributor includes a cup-shaped base 3 and a fluid-tightly sealed headportion 4 removably seated on base 3 and securely held thereon by springclips 5 which are pivoted to base 3 and resiliently engaged withrecesses 6 on head portion 4. Cup-shaped base 3 has freely rotatablyextended therethrough a timer drive shaft which has secured to its innerend a counter-balanced crank arm 8 mounting at its one end a U-shaped,preferably permanent magnet 9 adapted to be shifted by rotation of timershaft l toward and away from proximity to 'four switches I arranged inhead portion 4 as will be described hereinafter.

Head portion 4 is designed for use with a fourcylinder engine andincludes a fluid-tightly sealed housing II made of material of lowspecific conductivity for magnetic ilux. This housing mountsfluid-tightly sealed therein, in equiangular relation with respect toeach other, four switches i0 which jointly include stationary contactmembers I2, I3 and I4 carried by the top wall I5 of housing IIStationary contact member I2 consists of a tact member I2 iselectrically connected to a contact post 24 huid-tightly outwardlyextended through top wall I of housing il and stationary contact memberI3 is electrically connected to a contact post 25 also fluid-tightlyoutwardly extended through said top plate.

The bridge members 23 consist each of a tiltably supported permanent barmagnet 26 which mounts metal strip 22 having Contact point il arrangedto bridge gap 23 and a second contact 2 arranged to cooperate withcontact points 28 of the respective one ol four stationary contactmembers I4. rl`his permanent bar magnet is tiltably supported by aU-shaped bracket 29 having w its iianges 3B pivotally mounted on a pin3I supported by ear portions upwardly extended from bottom wall 33 oihousing II. The bridge members 23 are normally held by' wire springs 34in such a position that gaps 20 are closed by contact points 2i andcontact points 21 are separated from contact points 28 on stationarycontact members I4.

The metal strips 22 with contact points 2I and are connected by ilexiblewires 35 with a cross-shaped metal plate Si; coupled by a iiexible wire31 with a contact post 38 fluid-tightly extended through the side wall39 of housing Il.

Head portion has its bottom wall 33 recessed to iorm recesses arrangedto align with downwardly extended pole extensions 4I of bar magnets 28.rI'hese recesses decrease the thickness of the bottom plate andtherewith locally in? crease the conductivity oi the bottom wall formagnetic flux to facilitate proper tilting of the tiltable supportedbai` magnets 23 when the U- shaped permanent magnet 9 is rotated bytimer drive shaft 1.

'he stationary contact members I4 each consist of a metal stripelectrically connected to the respective post of four contact posts 42which are fluid-tightly extended outwardly from housing II through aboss 43 of top wall I5. This boss is outwardly threaded and mounts aclamping screw collar 44 adapted to securely lioid a plug memberelectrically coupled with the contact posts 42. The distributor isconnected to an ignition circuit by connecting contact post 24 to theprimary winding of the ignition coil of the circuit, contact post 25 toground, contact post 38 to the secondary winding ofthe ignition coil andcontact posts i2 to the grounded spark piugs (not shown), all ascustomary.

Rotation of timer drive shaft 1 successively places U-shaped magnet 9opposite to the respective pole extensions 4I of bar magnets 25 to eiectby outward tilting of bridge members 23 successive opening of theprimary winding of the ignition coil of the ignition circuit, closing ofthe secondary winding of such ignition coil and Finally, by action ofthe springs 34, inward tilting of bridge members 23 to again close theprimary winding of the ignition coil, etc. Quick closmg of the primarywinding of the ignition coil, effected by springs 34, is accelerated bythe U-shaped magnet 9, one pole of which attracts and the other pole ofwhich repulses the pole extensions 4I of bar magnets 26.

Exact timing of the thus constructed distributor is controlled by aparamagnetic disk 46 axially rotatably mounted outside of head portion 4between bottom wall 33 of housing II and crank arm 8 which mountsU-shaped magnet 9. This disk embodies equi-angularly spaced openings 41arranged opposite the pole extension 4I of bar magnets 26 and whenrotated effects the magnetic flux of the magnetic operating means, thuscontrolling the timing of the distributor, as rotation of the disk inone or the other direction shifts the openings 41 with respect to poleextensions 4I of bar magnets 26. Disk 46 includes a lateral extension 48with an elongated slot 49 to permit securing of the disk to base 3 by ascrew member 5U extended through slot 49.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In a magnetically operated switching device a fluid-tightly sealedhousing, a double acting switching member in said housing includingstationary contact members, and a tiltable, bridge-like contact memberadapted to selectively electrically connect the stationary contactmembers with each other. said bridge-like contact member including amagnet mounting a contact strip, contact posts electrically connectedwith said stationary contact members and said contact strip andhuid-tightly extended through the wall of said housing outside thereof,and magnetic means shiftably arranged outside oi said housing adapted toeffect shifting of the magnet to selectively connect the stationarycontact members with each other when the inagnetic means are shifted topredetermined posi tions.

2. In a magnetically operated switching device a fluid-tightly sealedhousing, a plurality of double acting equi-angularly related switchingmembers within said housing including coordinated stationary contactmembers and tiltable, bridge-like contact members adapted to selectivelyelectrically connect the stationary contact members with each other,said bridge-like contact members each including a magnet, and magnetmeans rotatably arranged outside of said housing opposite one wallthereof and in coordinated relation with respect to the magnet of saidbridge-like contact members adapted to effect shifting of saidbridge-like members by their magnets when the magnetic means are rotatedto predetermined positions.

3. A magnetically operated switching device as described in claim 2,including a shiftable paramagnetic plate member arranged outside of saidhousing between same and the magnetic means. said plate member beingprovided with an opening and adapted to be shifted to desired positionsto permit control of the magnetic flux between the magnet and magneticmeans when the latter are beingshifted to predetermined positions.

4. A magnetically operated switching device as described in claim 2,wherein the magnet of said bridge-like contact members include one poleextended toward the wall of said housing opposite to the said magneticmeans.

5. A magnetically operated switching device as described in claim 2,wherein the magnets of said bridge-like contact members each include'onepole extended toward the Wall of said housing opposite to the magneticmeans, and wherein the 5 magnetic means include a U-shaped magnet havingpoles directed toward the said wall to eiect in rotation of saidmagnetic means, by the magnetic action on the said poles, tilting of thebridge-like contact members in opposite directions.

6. A magnetically operated switching device as described in claim 2,wherein the housing includes localized recesses in the said Wallopposite to said magnets of said bridge-like contact members to eect inlocalized areas oi' the housing increased magnetic flux between the saidmagnets and the rotatably arranged magnetic means outside of saidhousing.

7. A magnetically operated switching device as described in claim 2,wherein the magnets of said bridge-like contact members each include apole extended toward the wall of said housing opposite the said magneticmeans, wherein the magnetic means has its poles directed toward the saidwall. and wherein the said wall includes localized re- 6 cesses oppositethe said poles of said magnets to eiect in localized areas of the wallincreased magnetic flux between the poles of said magnets and saidmagnetic means and eiect successive tilting of the bridge-like contactmembers in opposite directions.

FREDERICK NELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Namev Date 1,970,412 Bates Aug. 14, 19342,522,815 Early Sept. 19, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date576,685 Germany May 12, 1933

